This was the first show I went to myself. All my show friends couldn't come but I wasn't going to miss it. So I took a bus from NJ. This show was smokin. Amazing. What else can one say? The energy in the hall was high and SHakedown tuned into that immediately. Each & every tune was a work of art. Bertha in the 2nd set? Never done in those days. I thought the boys would have to retire Bertha after that night. It was a journey and worth every step of the way!

I began to look through a 'stack' of GD-CD's without any cases and the very first one (of 100 !!!) was the 2nd set of this FANTASTIC NIGHT!!! -
As I popped the CD into my NEW BOSE STEREO... (a recent Christmas Gift.... !!! ), and turned this BEAUTIFULLY RECORDED show up to volume level - "#90" - which played the old 'CD' as CLEAR AS IF I WERE IN THE AUDITORIUM. So I got out my "Dead-Base 50", checked it off, noting I HAVE a copy of the 2ND SET, " * " - 'burned' from trades, and kicked-back to listen to this AMAZING SHOW !!!! WOW !!! Certainly a "KEEPER", to be sure !!! The Boy's ARE ON..... !!!!
I graduated H.S. in 1981 and (along with all my GD tapes, at the time),m we had begun to listen to a lot of new "Punk" bands, et al..... As I have returned to collecting GD shows in this new era of Mp3's, iPod's, and the FANTASTICALLY, GREAT STUFF AVAILABLE FOR 'STREAMING', I have once again, REDISCOVERED THE REASON'S I KEEP LISTENING TO THE GRATEFUL DEAD !!! There truly are some FANTASTIC SHOWS IN THE "1980 > 1983" TOURING YEARS!!!! THIS GEM IS WELL WORTH A 2nd, 3rd, and 4th visit.

The only questionable part of 'finding' this show today was which 'version' to stream ?????? An "Audience" or "Soundboard"??? (As SEVERAL of the "Audience" recordings ARE AS GOOD, OR BETTER THAN THE 'SOUNDBOARD'S"!!! The "Audi" 's are SO CRISP, that at volume # 90 on a BOSE, - It'll make Ya' think you're RIGHT THERE in the War Memorial Auditorium !!! SWEETNESS !!!! THROUGH AND THROUGH !!!!
PLAY IT, THEN PLAY IT, AGAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is an absolute gem. Something about New York I guess. Along with the spring Utica show, this showcases the dead at their best.

They were most definitely ON during this show. I fell in love from the very first song and then once the awesomeness of this beautiful Brown Eyed Women ran through my speakers, I was hooked. I actually tried to take a nap while listening to this but I couldn't really fall asleep because I was so amazed at the jamming in this show. This AUD is nice too, really good quality.

I'm falling more and more in love with the eighties. But I think this might be the only instance where I think the first set is better than the second, though the second is definitely not 'off' or anything. They just threw all of their energy into the first set, I feel like. But the GDTRFB is worth a listen, it's beautiful.

Good quality fun audience recording with a solid set list and spirited tight jamming throughout. Not sure any particular song from this night would make my "top version" list but this show has the overall feel and sound that captures why I love this band. Definitely worth a listen.

Agreed, the second set (2nd Set) of the aformentioned show should be published as a DP or Roadtrips or Download Series or whatever closer-to-the-source yous guys are-up-to next!

How about some mor'es GD Video's?

ALL you missed the boat on this one.....listen to Ramble on Rose and Jerry....I should not have to say anymore.....but this was my first show the day after my birthday across trip from niskayuna - Albany area....wow...that is all it took

That started it all. Great recording, great night, great life. Niagra, Niagra all night long!

I remember this show very well...we came up from SUNY Binghamtom to Buffalo, as this was a short mini-tour. had seat to the left of the stage, up about 10 rows from the floor. Very good 1st set, some minor note flaws on some tunes...but hey, that's what the 1st set was for, right? 2nd set was amazing...one of the best Dews's I heard live, up to that point. I had been going to shows since 76'. Had a decent audience copy, but this is great to get a wonderful upgrade.

This was truly one of the great shows of the new era Grateful Dead. Every tune in the 1st set is special and I think that was largely due to Garcia. 2nd set was a letdown for me after playin' and Bertha but it was more a case of the 1st set being outstanding. This is one of my favorite show of the 80's. Rolling Stones played Rich Stadium the next day. We stayed for like 45 minutes and went home...nuff said.

I'm a junior at SUNY Buffalo. I go with my buddies who are all high on 'shrooms. I'm kinda scared of that and just smoke a ton of weed instead. We have a bunch of tickets for some crappy seats in the nose bleed section, and a single ticket up close on a riser right next to the side of the stage. So we use that one ticket stub and pass it back to each other through a space under the riser, sequentially, until we're all together, sitting on the riser. The view is amazing. Opening song Shakedown Street is perfect for Buffalo. "Don't tell me this town ain't got no heart (house lights go up)" and the audience roars (you can hear it about 6:30 into the song). Final memory: Midway through I'm hungry and go to the snack bar for food. I come back with a carton of popcorn. My buddies see this and FREAK OUT, tripping, laughing..."What is this, the circus? Who eats popcorn at a Dead show?!"
Thanks for an excellent tape.

My 14 year old psyche was forever changed on this night as I stepped into my first Dead concert. The beginning of my long, strange trip :) This show is tight and a ton of fun! The quality is as good as the original TDK soundboard that I played to death. Thanks Jonathan!

What a fun very high energy show. From the get go it was fantastic! this was a mini east coast tour before going to Europe. "On The Road Again, and Again" Sounds wonderful, great memories... Hey lets go find inspector Thelma. Who called the ref?